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McKennis Turns Focus to 2015

Alice McKennis strides to the top of the St. Anton downhill podium in January of 2013 with victory in one of the most challenging women's tracks on the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup tour (Mitch Gunn/ESPA)

PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 9) – Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO), winner of the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill in St. Anton just a year ago, has strategically decided to forgo a shot at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The 2010 Olympian fractured her right tibial plateau in March of 2013 and hoped to be strong enough to compete for a medal in Sochi. She will now turn her focus toward regaining full strength for the 2015 World Cup season that includes the Feb. 2-15 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships on home snow in Vail/Beaver Creek.

HIGHLIGHTS

2010 Olympian Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO) will not compete in the remainder of the 2014 Audi FIS Alpine World Cup and Olympic season.

McKennis, who won a World Cup downhill in St. Anton, Austria on Jan. 12, 2013, fractured her right tibial plateau in a subsequent World Cup race crash in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany on March 2.

She successfully returned to snow in late October and was back on the World Cup tour for the mid December speed series in Val d'Isere, France.

McKennis had hoped to return to full strength in order to compete for a medal in the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, but made a strategic decision to sit out the rest of the Olympic season.

The 24-year-old will have a plate and screws removed from her right leg later this month and immediately turn her attention to gaining strength for the 2015 season.

The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships will be hosted Feb. 2-15, 2015 in Vail/Beaver Creek, CO – an hour drive from McKennis’ hometown.

McKennis was one of six American women to earn a World Cup speed podium last season.

QUOTESAlice McKennisIt’s pretty heartbreaking to miss Sochi, but I’ve already been to an Olympics and I’ve already participated. When I go to the Olympics next time, I want to be a contender and I want to know that I have a shot at a medal. Right now, I don’t feel like I have that shot.

I still have a lot of pain in my lower leg and that’s affected a lot of muscles in that area and that’s affecting my power. In order to race World Cup at a safe and competitive level you need to be at or pretty close to 100 percent and I know that I’m not there now.

It will be hard and emotional to watch my teammates race, but I’ll be rooting for them and I feel we have a great shot at some podiums. I’m looking forward to being in that mix again at the World Champs in Beaver Creek and again at the 2018 Olympics.

Chip White, Head Coach women's speedShe’s worked extremely hard all summer and her focus has been on doing everything she can to qualify for the Olympics. She was way ahead of schedule with rehab and impressed every one. She did all the right things, but it was a severe injury and that takes a long time to heal.

She made a very mature and smart decision to get strong and come back when she’s physically in a position to be competitive. She’s a true competitor and that’s who we want on this team. She’s now looking at future Olympic and World Championship medals and future World Cup podiums.